10-cylinder printing machines have previously been proposed; it is also known to provide 10-cylinder printing machines with, selectively, different directions of rotation of the printing cylinders and selective operation of the cylinders such that either rubber blanket cylinder cooperate with printing or impression cylinders as a counter, or with another blanket cylinder as the impression or printing cylinder (see German Patent Disclosure Document DE-OS No. 29 51 249). Such a 10-cylinder configuration provides for a central location of the impression or printing cylinders, with two blanket cylinders selectively positionable against the impression cylinders; each one of the blanket cylinders has a plate cylinder associated therewith. Selectively, the blanket cylinders can move into contact with each other so that blanket-to-blanket printing also is possible. The drive of such a 10-cylinder printing system is obtained over a gear drive train with drive gears secured to the shafts of the respective cylinders; the drive gears can be fixed on a shaft or, on some of them, can be movable; to shift direction of rotation of the cylinders, clutches which can be remotely controlled are used.
Use of clutches to, selectively, engage specific gear wheels of the printing cylinders is expensive and takes up space.